So, what does a Real Estate Agent for for a Seller? Here is a Very Informative article that appeared in Realty Times.
When you’re trying to sell your home, you want to work with a realtor who will help make things as simple for you as possible while getting you the maximum amount of money.
If you’re a relatively new real estate agent and you’re wondering what sellers want from you, they want you to be their advocate above everything else. They want to be able to trust you, transparency, and to feel like you’re minimizing the headaches they might experience during the process.
A great seller’s agent should be adept at what they do in multiple areas, including the following.
Pricing
One of the best things a seller’s agent can do for you is to price your home properly. Pricing a home is often described as an art and a science
.Agents use science in terms of comparable sales that happened recently. The art comes in through knowing the local market, having experience, and also using a sense of intuition.
A good agent can find that price balance that will keep a seller competitive and make sure they’re getting what their home is truly worth.
An agent will create a comparative market analysis, which reviews homes nearby that are on the market, pending, or might have recently sold. Your agent might have sold some of these comps or maybe, at a minimum, have seen them in person.
You may also be wondering how an agent is any better than an online valuation model. In reality, there is a relatively high error rate with these tools. For example, according to Zillow, its online calculator estimates around 20% of the actual value 87.6% of the time, leaving a big margin for error. These tools can’t account for the nuances and variables that an experienced agent can, when pricing a home.
Great sellers’ agents are also present for inspections and appraisals to ensure there’s no spinning from the buyer’s agent. For example, if an inspector says a house will need a new air conditioning unit in five years, the agent for the buyer could spin this by saying the A/C is bad. A seller’s agent can prevent this from happening.
Getting Your Home Ready
Getting a home ready to hit the market is about more than cleaning it up. Listing agents know how to maximize what you can get for your property.
A listing agent can go through and find improvements you need to make, and they can also recommend people who can help you get them done.
Before you make any of the improvements your agent suggests, they’ll go over the return on your investment you might expect.
Along with repairs that could be needed, the agent can stage it if needed. Staging can include removing anything unnecessary from furniture to clutter. The agent will know how to help potential buyers visualize themselves in the space and picture their belongings there.
Once your home is picture-perfect, your agent can hire a photographer to take professional photos.
Marketing Expertise
A skilled seller’s agent will be great at marketing. They know what buyers are looking for and how to get your home in front of them and make it appealing.
Your agent showcases your home on the Multiple Listing Service and social media. They also do traditional marketing like open houses and distributing flyers.
Screening Buyers
Trying to sell a home is time-consuming and stressful enough without dealing with unqualified buyers. Your agent will work on your behalf to ensure no one is wasting your time. Even a buyer who is truly interested in your home might not have the financing.
Agents are earning money through a commission, so it’s in your best interest and theirs to screen out and eliminate unqualified buyers.
Your agent can work only with pre-approved buyers who have already gone through a financial verification.
Overall, a good seller’s agent can offer you a lot of value, and many of the things they do you can’t or perhaps wouldn’t want to do yourself.
Source: What Does a Real Estate Agent Do for Sellers? – Realty Times